Over the weekend, it was revealed that Chris Evans had been offered the part of Captain America in Marvel's 2011 blockbuster The First Avenger: Captain America. Under the stewardship of director Joe Johnston, the film is set to go before the cameras in the next couple of months, and assuming Evans says yes, he'll be contracted to appear as the Captain in up to nine movies. You can read our story here.

Meanwhile, news has also been forthcoming regarding three other forthcoming Marvel movie productions, so it made sense to bring them altogether right here. So, er, we have.

X-MEN

Bryan Singer was thought to be the locked-in director for X-Men: First Class, but rumours are now suggesting that may not be the case. Hitfix, however, is reporting that Fox is looking for alternative directors, seemingly because of Singer's already-crowded schedule. He's already committed to direct Jack The Giant Killer for Warner Bros, and that's going before the cameras this year.

That may not, however, fit in with Fox's schedule, but suspicions being that it'll want First Class in cinemas for 2012, assuming Wolverine 2 arrives in 2011. That would mean that while Singer is still a shoo-in to return to the X-Men franchise, it's looking like X-Men 4 may be his return. None of this has been confirmed, but it does all sound quite likely.

HitFix

THE AVENGERS

With Captain America cast, Marvel's group of Avengers - brought together by Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury - is coming together nicely. The idea, of course, is that they all unite in one film, The Avengers, which is down for a summer 2012 release date. But who's going to be directing the film?

Over at AintItCoolNews, Louis Letterier has revealed that he's one of the names on the shortlist. Letterier, who previously directed The Incredible Hulk for Marvel and is about to unleash Clash Of The Titans into the world, said, "I am on the shortlist, but I'm at the bottom of the shortlist, I'm sure. I don't know who the other guys are, but I have a great relationship with [Marvel], and I've been very vocal to them and everyone else that I am the one to direct it."

AICN

THOR

One Marvel project already before the cameras is Kenneth Branagh's take on Thor, set for release in summer 2011. The folks at Before The Trailer have been visiting the area where the film is being shot, and have posted some pictures from outside the set. They're distance shots, but just in case you're interested (appreciating they don't tell you a great deal) here's the link.

We'll keep you posted on all of those, and also when we get formal confirmation of Chris Evan's Captain America casting.